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i IMPEOVEMENT IN PIANO-FORTES.

ro ALL WHoM Ir MAY oov'onnnz Be it known thatwe, JonN Jnoon Dncunn and DAVID Dsennn', both of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Inproveinent in Piano-Fortes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the acconpanying drawing, which forxns part of this specification, in which- Fignre 1 repre'seuts a plan view of the stringed portion of a piano.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof, taken \as indicated by the line x fc,-fig. 1; and

Figure 3 a vertical transverse sectionof the same taken as denoted by the line y y, intig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indica-te corresponding parts in the several figures.

The one part of our invention relates to what is known in piano-fortes as the full iron plate, and the nature of it consists in such a Construction of said plate as will avoid bringing any of the string beari'rigs on such plate, and secnres for the most part or gcnerally the connection of the strings with the tuning pins close to the Wrestplauk, thereby reducing the levcrage and great strain on the pins, which is so objectionable a feature in those previous arrangements in which the strings'pass over the plate, and this advantage we secure without interfering With the exposure of anyof the pins for stringing or tuning purposes; and the other part of our improvement v also relates to the connection of the strings with the tuning pins .close to the wrest plank, and whereby, while the plank is strengt-hened, the leverage and great strain` on all the pins, including the forward or more advanced 'ones, is prevented'or reduced to a material extent; this part of our invention being more or less applicable not only to pianos employing the full iron plate, but also to others.

To enable .others skilled in the art to make and appl/y our invention, we will now proceed to describe it. Referring to the aecompanying drawing, A B C D represen't portions of the full iron plate. .The part A of said plate near to the sound-board bridges, a Z c, is or may be of ordinary form, and the backpart B, which is faste'ne'd by screwsto the wrest-plank E, is, as in certain instruments of previous construction, only of such width from lback to front as to lie in rear of the tuning pins (Z d', but the portion C, which joins the part B With thefrontbrace D, at the left-hand end of the instrument, dilfers from previous full iron plate constructions t genorally, which failed to allow of all the strings--the longer or bass ones-being entirely supported on wooden bearings, so necessary to produce a good and even tene. The previous eonstructions, ted, failed in not allowing said strings to be brought close to the ivrest-plank, the latter not being practicable when the plate fits close to the plan'kfand extends bcyond the tuning pins, as in such case theholes in the plate for the pins require to be suflicio'ntly large for the pins to pass through without touching the metahand the strings^ being of nccessity attached to thcpins at such part at a height from the bearing in the plank equal to the thickness of the plate, thus producing 'great leveragc or strain upon the pins. And the portion C of the plate diifers from the construction of it'shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to DAVID DECIER, bearing date the 2d day of June, 1863, for an improvement obviating the defectslin those previous constructions hcreinbeforereferred to, inasrnuchas'while in such improvement the portion C of the plate was elevated, so as to pass entirely overa'numbor of the longer or bass strings, the saidl part C, according to our improved construction,

while forming an equally strong brace or tieland connection of the parts B and D, and equally cnabling the stronger or bass strings e to be entirely supported by wooden bearings, and to be brought close to the wrestd plank, has the additional advantage of giving an open or free access to the tuning pins of saidl strings, either for attaching the s-trings or for tuning. This improvement is cffccted by a vertical fiange, C, along the left-hand end of the metallic plate in line with the corresponding end of the wrcst-plank and adjoining block F. It is preferable that'-this flange overlap the wrest-plank and block F, but it might project upward above the plate. To securel more fully the close attachment of the strings to the wooden bcarings throughout the instrument generally, so' 'as to reduce levcragc or strain on allrthe pins, we notonly keep the part B of the plate at a considerablc distance from the bridge G, but likcwisc introduce, between said plate and bridge, an inclinod wooden snpportor supports or shelf, H, which may start from the upper surface or level of the'bridge and incline down-v wards towards the part Bvof the plate. By such an additional support, not only is the facility increased or may bc increased for attaohing the strings to the roar pins (Z close to the wooden bcarings, and le or strain uponflthe pins, but. more cspeciaily and proninently is this the case in the more sscning the lcvcragc forward or advanced pins, d', which, lying close behind or up to the bridge G, it is dfiicult or impossible. to :tttaoh .the-strings low down or close to the wooden bearin-g of such pins, were it not for this interposition of the support/H.` Furthermore, while it is eustomary-to construct the wrest-plankof diflerent thickness, with the fibre of'the Wood in one thickness running opposite or diiferently to'the fibre in the other thiekness to increase the Strength of the plenk, so es,4 'while without adding to the weight of said pla-nk, to .enable it better tol resist tle great strzin to which it is subjected, further additional Strength without o, material addition to the weight will be given to the wrest. plani by the `i1elined support G, having its fibres ar'anged to cross or run difi'erently to the fibres of the upper piece or thickness of the tv'rest-plank, to whieh said support or shelf may be secured by glueing, and if desirahle h otherwise vfastening it in additionf By obteining the attachment ofv-the strings to all the tuning pins equelly close to the wooden bearing or support of the pins, the instrument has a uniformity of tone superior to the instruments in which thewrest-plank is oonstrueted and the pins inserted in the usutl way( What we elaim as our invention, and desire to' secureby Letters Patent, is-- 1-,The iron plate; construeted with a vertical flenge, O, at its reer end, erranged in relation with the Wrest-plen'k, es und for the purpose herein specified.

2. Interposing between the bridge G and portion B of tne plate, en in'clined support or shelf, H, to obtain the attachment of the Btrings to all or the more forward portion of the tuning pins close to or at uniform distances'j'from their wooden bear-ing, essentiolly as speeified. i 1 JOHN J. DECKER,

DAVID DEGKER.

Witnesses:

WM. H. KIPP, H. 0. JAGEMAN 

